Some Slightly Spooky/ Autumnal Recommendations

Hello everybody!

As it’s almost Halloween, I thought it would be fun to share some recommendations for slightly spooky reads, and some set in Autumn.  I’m a total wuss and don’t like horror, so these are perfect for anyone who feels that way too!

Onto the books! (In no particular order…)

The Mystery of the Vanishing Skeleton by Helen Moss- This is very possibly my favourite Adventure Island story, which is set at Halloween in Castle Key. It shows Scott, Jack, Emily and Drift the dog try and work out who the mysterious figure in a skeleton costume commiting odd crimes around the island is.

The My Sister the Vampire series by Sienna Mercer– While this series is mainly contemporary, it also features vampires and has pretty cool worldbuilding, so it definetely deserves a place on this list. It’s about twin sisters Ivy and Olivia,  one a vampire and one a human, as they reunite and try and bond as twins while taking on the vampire world. I especially love the earliest books in the series, which are excellent mysteries!

Jolly Foul Play by Robin Stevens- This is easily the most sinister of the Murder Most Unladylike Mysteries. It focuses on the murder of head girl Elizabeth Hurst, who dies at the Bonfire Night display, and Daisy and Hazel’s investigation to uncover her killer. This sent chills down my spine in places, and I devoured it in a single sitting.

The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol- This is such a cosy, warm fantasy and it gave me lovely autumnal vibes. It’s about apprentice witch Arianwyn as she moves to the small island of Lull and discovers that it isn’t as dull a place as she first thought. I’m so excited to return to this magical land when the sequel A Witch Alone arrives in March.

Vlad the World’s Worst Vampire by Anna Wilson, and illustrated by Kathryn Durst- I read this lovely younger MG and I’m so excited to write my review at the end of the month. I read it after a couple of books I didn’t like much and it totally lifted my spirits. It’s about Vlad, who decides to sneak offto human school because he feels he’s such a failure as a vampire. It’s the PERFECT read for younger children (and anyone who likes books for this age range!), particularly come Halloween.

Close Your Pretty Eyes by Sally Nicholls- I think this is aimed at MG, but it’s the scariest thing I’ve ever read. The ghost Olivia is haunted by in it is awful, and Olivia’s own story is horrifying in a much more realistic way. I don’t think I could ever reread it (I almost gave up more than once the first time because of the creepiness factor), but it’s a thought-provoking, chilling read that I’d highly recommend to anyone.

The Scarlet and Ivy Mysteries by Sophie Cleverly- This mystery series takes place in the creepiest boarding school I’ve seen in a book. I’d never want to attend Rookwood, but it’s a fabulous setting that makes these historical mysteries that extra bit spookier.

Strange Star by Emma Carroll- this is an atmospheric adventure based on the Frankenstein origin tale, and it would be super suitable to read on a rainy autumn evening, with it’s scary scientists and ghost stories fit to ‘chill the blood’

Lockwood and Co series by Jonathan Stroud- This is a hauntingly (pun intended) good series, about an alternative Britain where ghosts come back after their deaths to haunt their ‘Sources’. The smallest and best psychic detective agemcy in London, Lockwood and Co, are an excellent team and I love each and every one of them. This would be a fabulous binge read in the run up to Halloween 😊

Stacey and the Haunted Masquerade by Ann M. Martin- You didn’t really think I’d get through a list like this without a BSC mention, did you? This is my favourite of all the mysteries in the collection, and absolutely the one that scared me most (except maybe the Super Mysteries, which were mysteries 2 times as long and 200 times more dangerous) . It’s about the Halloween Masquerade being sabotaged and the BSC trying to work out exactly who is behind it all, and why. 

Thank you so much for reading! What do you think of these books,  if you’ve read them? Are there are any on your TBR this Halloween? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

See you soon with a new post, 

Amy xxx

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